Hallan
by Kaerzye
Summary: Kaerzye's childhood has been decidedly peaceful. How will he adapt when the man he has known as his father, his mentor and his entire world are shifted drastically in such a short time?
1. Chapter 1

A fierce battle waged across the field.

Warriors clashed swords with the staves of powerful bishops before they were thrown from their mounts in defeat, and one after another peasants also fell to an onslaught of opponents.

It made little difference to Kaerzye whether or not _they_ were annihilated. It was all for the good of the cause according to him. However, the sight of one of his knights being knocked from the saddle by his opponent's priest was enough to send the child into a fit of rage.

"You cheated!"

"What? Kaerzye! Me? Cheat? It's absolutely preposterous!"

The young man simply leaned back in his seat, stroking the small but tangled flaxen beard as he waited for the angered boy to make his next move. It was anticipated by the man that the child would act in the same rash manner he always did. His losses were always a result of a tantrum set aflame by his favored piece being knocked out of the field.

"I will not lose to you _this_ time, old man!"

With the child's sputtered command, the second ghost-like knight's horse reared back with and charged. Maylnor's suspicions had been confirmed when the white knight engaged in battle with the black monk. Mace and long sword met with a bright spark set off by the clashing metal, and only a few moments passed before the defeated piece dropped 'dead' to the ground and faded from the field.

Now only a few pieces remained. Kaerzye thought it impossible for his tutor to defeat him now.

"Well done, little prince. Unfortunately, you've relied on your anger to determine your actions again. You must _never _fight with your head alone or you will lose it."

A hand lifted, signaling the enormous black dragon looming over the entirety of the board to make its move. With a tremendous roar the lizard lumbered across the field.

Kaerzye's heart sank when he saw its destination.

The white king stood quite alone on the field except for one peasant who was reluctantly standing in its path.

"Do you really have to make their knees shake?"

Kaerzye rolled his eyes and watched the peasant as it was gobbled up by the dragon that wore a grin far too similar to the one commanding its actions.

"Very funny! You think I'm scared? White Knight, intercept!"

Again, the warrior raced across the field straight for the great black lizard. The dragon simply stood there with the same toothy grin, and with a flick of its tail sent both knight and horse flying to the other end of the field.

This action, of course, sent Kaerzye into a screaming rage.

"Cheater!" he shrieked, "That is not how the game is played!"

The boy stopped short once he heard the earth-shaking steps of the dragon once more. This time the screaming was directed at the dragon as it made its way without obstruction toward the edge of the field. It halted only a short moment to glance at the outraged prince skeptically and then it proceeded to dine upon the last remaining piece belonging to the boy - The White King. As soon as the piece had disappeared down the gullet of the massive beast, so did the rest of the apparitions on the board and Maylnor proclaimed himself as the winner.

"If you had not wasted your peasants, surely they would have been able to protect the king. They may not be the most powerful pieces, Kaerzye, but they are certainly the most numerable. Sometimes unity is what wins battles."

"I don't suppose you having more dragons than actual chess pieces had anything to do with your victory! Besides, I still say you cheated! That's not how the game is played! There are rules against things like that!"

The youngster snapped from across the life-size chessboard.

"In a real war there are few times when the terms are equally fair, Kaerzye. Someday you may have to learn this for yourself. Besides, how many times have I told you that my only rule is that I have no rules? It makes for a more interesting game, lad. Plus, you called me old when I'm reasonably young enough to be your brother!"

He did have to chuckle at Kaerzye and his seriousness in the matter. The child had a certain spark in those bright, green eyes when he was furious, and his freckled face always gained a fierce, red tinge to it.

It almost pushed a fear into the young man's mind that he would eventually pop.

"You insult me all the time! I'm starting to keep track of how many different ways you think up to call me short in a day. The number is getting rather big. I'm still not sure whether to smack you for each one or congratulate you on having such a large vocabulary."

Kaer was still angry, but that frown could never remain there as long as it was his mentor he was supposedly angry with, especially when the man had somehow managed to sprout roses from each of his ears to make up for beating Kaer in the chess game. Maylnor had the child smiling again by the time they left the field to return to the hut stationed quite far from the actual manor where the child lived.

Maylnor preferred privacy when conducting experiments and at the very least it kept everyone else safe when they went awry.

"Well done, indeed. Fantastic performance, young Kaerzye. You'll have this scoundrel in the next match for sure."

There was only a glimmer of a sardonic tone to the new voice but not enough to be detected by the child. Maylnor on the other hand grew solemn. His good-natured laugh at faded completely to be replaced by incoherent mumblings under his breath. His grip on the cherry wood staff he leaned against tightened as the figure's mare galloped closer, but he forced a small smile for the prince's sake. It was, after all, he who constantly spoke of forgiveness toward others.

"You're losing that admired strength of the mind, Maylnor. Soon, you'll be losing a simple game of chess to a child."

Now the stranger's steed had galloped close enough for it to touch noses with Maylnor in a game of spite. A smirk touched the visage of the young man upon the horse as he and Maylnor stared each other down.

"My lessons aren't meant to stroke my own ego_. _They are to instruct the prince properly; something I'm sure you could do so much better in, Karnakh. Besides, Kaerzye is very intelligent for his age. If he is to defeat me, it will be because he's worthy of doing so legitimately."

That comment struck a foul chord with the rider and the smirk was replaced with a look of pure hate.

Maylnor had been chosen by Kaerzye's father instead of him to guide the child and Maylnor was sure to remind him of that each time Karnakh became obdurate toward him.

"Come, cousin. I think it's about time for a real spar, wouldn't you agree?"

The rider beckoned the child toward him.

"I'm coming. Maylnor, you'll watch, too, right?"

Kaerzye was lifted with ease onto the saddle in front of Karnakh, and he clung nervously to his cousin while keeping his eyes glued to Maylnor's dolorous expression.

The prince was scared of many things, but he was particularly frightened of horses and his cousin was never a being gifted with the art of consoling anyone.

"I'm sorry, kiddo, but I doubt another person could fit on that horse. I'll catch up with you two at the manor later this afternoon. Someone as old as me needs his exercise, remember?"

The truth was Maylnor wanted to be in no way, shape or form to be anywhere near that man.

Karnakh made him apprehensive and as much as he hated to see innocent Kaerzye have a moment alone with him, he trusted that the child's favor for him would outweigh any odious seed his cousin may try to plant within his thoughts.

As he stated before, Kaerzye was quite intelligent for his age.

Karnakh reeled the horse around and took off at full speed for the path leading to the grand estate of Estel.

The country's recent epidemic was obvious even within the confines of the manor. Many lay dead or dying along the road. Kaer recognized them to be lower class citizens who more than likely journeyed here to beg the king for refuge. His cousin apparently recognize the hush that washed over the child and addressed the situation.

"Pay them no mind. Peasants have little use in this world other than apparently spreading their infestation to us as well. I will send a crew out to collect the bodies if it will please you."

Kaerzye was about to respond, but a shout came from not far ahead.

Guards at the drawbridge of the castle had spotted the rider's distinct Palomino in the distance and were readying to lower the gates for the pair to enter. Tenants of the palace stables led the mare away as Kaerzye's cousin led him toward the tallest tower in the castle.

It was a black, ominous monster that Kaerzye dreaded visiting.

He also abhorred the knowledge that his loving father was trapped there; suffering from the terror that swept over the land. His bright, green eyes shifted to the more comfortable vision of the gold tower just adjacent to the ebony one.

There, fond memories of him and his healthy father came flooding back. Through these he could be strong enough to face the truth that he would find in the gold tower's twin. Though he was led to believe his father's illness was not as severe as most who were struck with the affliction, the child still worried. Many other people had died to this disease and his father was not immune to the same fate.

His cousin remained as dark and foreboding as the ancient structure but still swore he could spot the frozen smile upon Karnakh's lips as they passed through the looming shadow of the tower.

Kaerzye hoped in the back of his mind that it was just a trick of the shadows.

"You are frightened, cousin?"

It was the first time since addressing the corpses along the road that the man had spoken to him.

"Frightened of what? Sparring with you? That would be a first, wouldn't it?"

The boy dare not betray his true feelings on the matter.

The truth was that he felt like from everything crashing down around them until his legs ceased to function. His cousin berating him for a sloppy spar would not help his mood at all.

"There's nothing wrong with being afraid, cousin. Anger and fear are completely normal for humans."

Kaerzye narrowed his eyes at the man standing over him.

"Really? That explains why you never act worried about my father."

Their destination was a building caught between the two larger structures. Inside were masses of dull, misshapen armor and weapons that Kaer and his cousin often used to spar with one another. The child's father had always thought it was a decent way for them to bond while sharpening his son's abilities to defend himself.

Karnakh sneered as his much smaller opponent chose his weapon. It was a blunt saber, although he preferred the swiftness of daggers and slipped one into his belt loop in case his cousin knocked his main weapon out of his hands. Karnakh was never easy on him and always had the advantage between his height and the longer reach of his arms. Kaerzye also examined a worn helmet he pondered using but tossed it to the ground nearby when he decided against it.

"Well," the man bowed dramatically to the prince. "Since you've apparently chosen not to run away, shall we instead begin? I would much rather keep my wasted time to a minimum."

His own blade tapped against Kaerzye's cheek which flared the child's anger. A few of the armory's attendants who always kept their distance while the two of them sparred seemed concerned with Karnakh's rough behavior but never mentioned it for fear of being scolded.

"You're growing up. You know, soon you'll be old enough to take your father's place. I suppose that's a good thing seeing as how he might not have much time left."

His taunting was edging Kaerzye closer and closer to a boiling point and they had barely begun.

The prince swung wildly to bat the tip of the saber tapping his cheek away but Karnakh had anticipated it and dodged before the blades struck.

"Maylnor is right about one thing. You act more out of anger than anything else. You're a spoiled brat who throws a tantrum when something doesn't go quite the right way."

He cackled at the way the child rushed forward and nearly tripped over his own feet in doing so while he slashed at his cousin in vain.

"All this time we've practiced and you still can't hit me? I think you've spent far too much time locked away in that mad man's dirty hut playing his little board games. I believe by those rules the appropriate phrase here is 'check', am I right?"

By now they were turned fully around from their original positions. Once again, Kaer began to advance on his cousin without responding to any of his malicious taunts. Abruptly, the child ripped the dagger he had tucked away free from his belt and hurled it in his cousin's direction. Although the aim was completely off it still startled the man enough to rear back to dodge the blade on instinct. However, his foot caught something metallic on the floor in the process. It was the helmet Kaer had left there before they began fighting. Cursing himself for being reckless, Karnakh tried to catch himself before he fell but his smaller cousin had taken advantage of gravity in this situation. It was easy to knock the man to the ground regardless their size difference now.

"Actually, it's 'check mate.'"

Quite the puerile little grin struck the callow child's face with his final blow. The blunt edge of the stripling's saber connected with the target's knee, resulting in a rather sickening crack that resounded around the stone walls of the rooms. Even the least queasy of the pair's audience were forced to visibly quiver at the sight and sound.

"What was it you said earlier about someone losing simple games to children?"

"Perhaps," there was a short pause for the usual growl. "If the _impertinent_ child would care to notice how easy it would be to retrieve the upper hand with that kind of overconfidence. A potentially deadly decision, my prince."

After eventually pulling himself to his feet through the pain in his knee, the tip of Karnakh's blade lightly grazed Kaerzye's unprotected chest once his armor was removed. The most satisfying sensation in the world would be derived from thrusting his sword into the child's heart but he obviously refrained with the audience there watching his every move.

Karnakh let go of his dangerous desires for now. For what seemed like an eternity the two stared coldly into each other's eyes. The flickering flames from the chamber torches only succeeded in exaggerating the hatred.

The boy was the first to turn away, for his father did not need any such grief now.

"Victorious for once. Congratulations, sire."

Karnakh's voice resembled a snake's hiss rather than a buxom display of repentance.

"Forgive my indiscretion, please, young Kaerzye."

A fluent bow followed this apology.

Before another insult could be thought of by either of them, a portly old woman called out for the prince's attention.

"Maylnor wishes to see you, my dear. I suppose that it must be urgent, you see."

She stuttered the entire time. Fearful coal eyes were locked on Karnakh until Kaerzye had made his move to exit the chamber. Saber and steel helmet were both handed the nearest servant to contend with and the prince disappeared down the flight of darkened stairs.

Karnakh grit his teeth to keep a torrent of thoughts from escaping his lips.

How much longer must he deal with that obnoxious brat? How much longer until he could strangle that impudent little urchin he was forced to call family?

The attendant waiting to receive Karnakh's sparring equipment was roughly flung to the smooth stone floor. This sight caused the rest of the valets to scatter like startled mice and they fled as quickly as their bare feet could carry them to relieve themselves of the angered man's notorious temper.

Among those in the castle he saw fit to deceive he was every bit of an abettor and loving companion as anyone could possibly expect from Alderon's nephew. However, on the inside, never was there a man so callous and willing to strike at the heart of those closest one to him if it was for his own gain. Karnakh loathed his uncle and the legacy he was passing onto Kaerzye and what was worse was that the child knew too much about his cousin to let him remain a threat. The sooner the king died and left the boy in his hands to manipulate as he wished the better.


	2. Chapter 1: Part 2

Kaerzye was escorted by several armed guards to the decaying hut that Maylnor insisted be built away from the manor where the rest of Alderon's court lived. He chose to dwell in a place made out of mud and straw rather than having to deal with men who did little but argue about things that never mattered to begin with. He always made a point to complain about their incompetence to Kaerzye because even if he was only a child he seemed to be the only one who would listen to Maylnor other than Alderon.

Malynor always did say that children had more sense about the things that really had any true value in life.

The men stopped nervously several yards from the front door and shifted sword and shield as their eyes lingered in the skies. Kaerzye also peered upward to examine the clouds, though they seemed to be empty other than the occasional bird. The prince hardly ever saw the palace guards so rattled but something had obviously spooked them.

It was then that the boy caught a glimpse of something over the horizon of trees that led into the forest. He was certain a black form was dancing between the branches closest to the sky. The men had not seen the beast before it once again disappeared without a trace.

A voice coming from the doorway of Maylnor's hut startled the boy back into reality.

"Ah! Kaer, Kaer! I've been waiting for…goodness, it's had to have been at least ten minutes since I called you up here! Or down here rather, I suppose. The palace is uphill then, isn't it?"

Maylnor clasped his hands together jubilantly as he somehow managed to escape the complete mess of crackpot inventions that lined the walls of his house. Some were even scattered around outside on his lawn. One of the devices was shaped like a dragon but instead of fire spewing out of the mouth and nostrils of the wooden beast there was water. Its thick neck swayed back and forth, throwing the liquid at least twenty yards and much to the delight of Kaerzye it even managed to give the four of them standing there a spray.

Maylnor did not even seem to notice that he was now sopping wet.

The two guards however shuffled back toward their horses as quickly as possible after grumbling to the man that they would be back for the prince within that next hour. After a cheery wave to the retreating men, Maylnor rather unceremoniously shoved his charge into the hut and slammed the door as if he were afraid someone unwelcome might see what lay inside.

"Blue today, Maylnor? Is something the matter?"

Kaer had asked because the hut that the rather eccentric man lived in served as a gigantic reflection of his mood thanks to an ingenious charm he had created during an experiment of crossbreeding squirrels with clams. Kaerzye had made a point to ask where in the world the correlation lied between the two but he thought it best not to try and pry into his teacher's mind.

"Oh yes, oh yes… You should have seen it earlier! Bright red, it was. Your cousin came by, you know. The hissing daisies still give him a bit of a scare I think. Oh, and Mildred bit him again."

He nodded sagely as if it was a grave situation, but Kaerzye knew better. Maylnor had probably trained Mildred to attack the man long before he had ever arrived.

"He's going to make you get rid of her if she ruins anymore of his clothes. By the way, have you even figured out what she is?" Kaer warily eyed the ball of fuzz that was lying in a pile of mismatched silk patches across the room. Mildred was a mess of tangled fur, dirt, leaves, twigs and the home to a few fleas judging from the way she constantly scratched herself. The fur was so thick that no one could tell what it really was hiding beneath it and not even Mildred could see clearly. She was always running into things.

Maylnor always insisted she did it simply because she was the stupidest creature ever to exist.

"Won't let me get close enough to her to shave off all that hair, so no. She wandered out of the forest so there's really no telling what she is. Not very many people have documented whatever lives in that place but they apparently have sharp teeth. Mildred has made a lovely bed out of all the scraps she's ripped out of your cousin's pants. Would you like to see?"

Maylnor shuffled off to the opposite side of the hut and Kaer had to strain to peer over all the objects surrounding the table he had taken a seat at to get a good view of what his mentor was doing. The boy winced when the man began kicking at the creatures side, though for all he knew, it could have been her head. His prodding was followed by a growl and a snap and a string of obscenities that the man quickly apologized to the prince for letting escape.

"She's only cranky, that's all. Anyone could get that way after Karnakh visiting them without an invitation. But I didn't ask you to come to discuss the shade of my mood, Kaer. It is blue for a reason, yes. I wanted to talk to you about the disease. So sit, sit, sit! And have some crocodile tea! Tastes like a dream when you get passed the scales."

Before Kaer even had a chance to protest against drinking the essence of anything that lived in a swamp, Maylnor had shoved an entire pot of the stuff in his direction.

"No cups, Kaer. I believe the squirrel has taken them again! Really, I would take the invisibility charm off the poor thing, but I never thought about about not being able to see it once I had cast the spell. Anyway, about the disease…How much has Alderon spoken to you about it, Kaer?"

Maylnor heaved a sigh as if he had been working heavily all day and plopped down into one of the four clashing chairs that lined the table. He never did wear shoes, so when he propped his feet up on the table in full view of the child, Kaer felt the strongest urge to set his tea down and not take another sip lest he vomit right there.

"I've hardly seen my father since the disease starting getting to be a problem. I guess he would be busy taking care of people."

Kaerzye finished that off quieter than he had begun, and his eyes settled down into the dark liquid quivering in the pot he had set in his lap. He could see in his own reflection how much his expression gave away that he was upset about the time he and his father had spent apart. Kaer was not used to being so alone, and even if he did have Maylnor to visit whenever he wished it was somehow not the same. He always needed someone beside him to hold his hand when he was afraid.

"He lets Karnakh tell me everything, I think. Everything he thinks I should know, anyway. Why does he always hide everything from me, Maylnor? Aren't I old enough to know the truth?"

Malynor's face became uncharacteristically solemn at the sudden and short but important questions the boy had so abruptly thrown at him.

"Kaer, there are a many of forms of truth. There's more to this whole thing than you could ever imagine right now. It's best if you know the basics until you're old enough to really understand. Now, don't look at me like that. You know how highly I think of you, Kaer. I know how smart you are, but don't you see? That's the very reason why your father wants to keep certain things a secret from you. You're different than other children your age. You're different than other children completely. Knowledge can sometimes be a dangerous thing, and for now it's just best if you listened to me and your father, and not your cousin, hmm? He's not the freshest fruit in the stand, if you know what I mean."

Malynor's wise eyes were pleading silently with the child to understand why he needed to be kept in the dark. Kaer caught the man's gaze momentarily glancing down at the strange pendant that hung loosely around the boy's neck. Maylnor let another great sigh of frustration escape and he forced himself to tear his eyes away from the necklace. It was a mistake of Alderon's to allow the child to wear it but he was never heeded when it came to that matter. Kaerzye thought it was harmless enough, especially with all of the precious gems somehow carved out of the many empty sockets that surrounded the larger green jewel in the center. For some reason it had been left unmolested.

"Listen, Kaer. This disease is not something we can stop. All of my alchemy and sparse magical knowledge can't put a stop to this thing. One way or another it eventually kills everything it comes in contact with and the only way we can really fight it for now is to pray. It's something none of us want to hear, I'm sure, but it does no good to hide in empty lies, now does it?"

Maylnor could almost predict what Kaer's next reaction would be.

"But maybe I could do something to help! If someone just explained it to me a little more, then maybe I could make a difference somehow."

The differences in opinion from all of the adults and their way of expertly dodging real answers to all of Kaerzye's questions was beginning to annoy him into a state where he felt he wanted to just beat each of them in the head with a blunt object.

"If you won't answer that question then maybe you can help me with this one. Right before you came outside earlier, something scared the men who were with me. I didn't see anything at first, but... There was something strange in the trees. It was black and long. I didn't see its face before it disappeared again. Was it something you created?"

For some reason, the mysterious being had left a lasting impression on the child. It sent chills down his spine thinking about how it weaved its way through the branches like a snake in search of prey. Maylnor looked as if he had seen an apparition behind the boy and he struggled with piecing together what he needed to say next.

"You know, I have no idea, Kaer. Creatures from the forest of that size hardly ever wander to our borders. In all honesty it might be the scent of death that's attracting it. That is, if you really saw anything at all. It's nearly dark. Your eyes sometimes play tricks on you at this time of night."

Maylnor had been white ever since Kaerzye had mentioned seeing the beast but his voice remained even so as to not alarm the child in his care.

"I think it's about time for you to return to the palace. I've said all that I have to say and you should have a few words with your father."

Kaerzye nodded in agreement with his mentor. It had been a long time since he had a chance to see his father, after all.

"Listen, Kaerzye. I want you to stay in your room. I want you to stay there and not come here anymore, do you understand? Not even with the guards escorting you. And I want you to forget you ever saw anything in those trees. It was nothing."

This change in Malynor's behavior caught the child up in a state of confusion but when the man decided to end their conversations Kaer knew better than to push him for more information. Maylnor had always had Kaerzye's best interests in mind and he realized that. Even so, he was now concerned that something more serious than he thought was being hidden from him by everyone. The silence between them during the remaining time they shared together before the guards came to fetch the young prince only worsened Kaerzye's concerns.

Maylnor was too busy shuffling through stacks of books and muttering frantically to himself to notice the child had said goodbye to him.

The entire ride back to the gates of the castle Kaerzye's, thoughts were plagued with visions of the beast lurking within the trees so close to their home. Maylnor might be in danger if he actually had seen something vicious then and that worried him terribly. The boy wandered the halls of the palace for hours alone except for the companionship of his imagination that was starting to run rampant within him. Maybe it was best to visit his father and discover what he might have to say about the beast and his son's feeling on being left in the dark about everything happening to their home. When he finally reached his father's quiet chambers in the black tower, the child swallowed hard as he shoved the images into the back of his mind.

No, he last thing his father needed was to be burdened with more disconcerting news.

This would be nothing more than a routine conversation – a friendly visit to a father he had hardly spoken to since this all began. As the child reached for the handle to enter the room, a voice interrupted him. There was someone else in the room other than his father.

"You can't be serious, Alderon! You see what's happening, don't you? He needs to be removed! For his own safety and for everyone else's he can't stay here!"

The voice belonged to Maylnor. Whatever he was discussing with the king had obviously upset him judging by his tone.

"This matter has nothing to do with him or that woman! Your superstition may have had a place there, but this is my kingdom! There is a very simple explanation for the deaths of my people and they have nothing to do with this fantasy of yours, Maylnor! I will not have my only chance at having an heir destroyed by your mythological nonsense! If that's all you had to discuss with me then you may leave. He stays here and that's my final word!"

The room was silent for a few moments. Maylnor was probably biting his tongue to keep himself from saying anything else that would further upset the king. He was allowing his fear of his family losing their place on the throne to interfere with his logic. True, some of the information Maylnor had given him was far-fetched but given Kaerzye's background, the tales were more believable than the king was willing to admit.

The man was old and had always been unsuccessful with producing an heir of his own blood. The rest of the kingdom knew nothing about the child biologically belonging to another and he gladly left them in the dark on that subject. As far as they were concerned, the boy was the rightful heir to Alderon's throne. Kaerzye's adoption was his only hope and he would have no other.

"An agreement was made, Alderon. I understand your feelings, but you must understand her own."

"Until I see it knocking on the front door of my home nothing changes! Just because you are her servant does not mean you have jurisdiction over the decisions I make for my own kingdom!"

Maylnor was about to retaliate when the king broke down into a coughing fit and shivered violently as if a draft very suddenly swept over him. Maylnor sighed and refrained from speaking. The man was acting like a fool but Maylnor was not about to argue him right into his grave over the matter.

"When that woman abandoned him here with me she forfeit her right as a mother! It's been nine years, Maylnor. She's not coming for him. For all you know she's already dead."

Maylnor had planned on leaving well enough alone for now but the king had reopened an old wound with his harsh words and the man finally let his true feeling spill with his raised tone.

"Plans have changed since then! It was a desperate situation, Alderon, and she had no other choice! Her intentions were never to leave him in your care for so long! For God's sake, look at your people! You were warned that this might happen. If you don't want the rest of your legacy to disappear as Hallan has then give up your childish, stubborn view on the situation and listen to reason!"

"Enough! At this point I have little concern for her intentions, and mark me, Maylnor, if you dare try to make off with my child in secret I won't hesitate to have you killed without a trial. I hope I'm making myself extremely clear."

Kaerzye had been listening to the whole argument with his green eyes wide and his breath held in anticipation of what would be exchanged next. Never in his life had he heard his father or Maylnor raise their voices to such an angry level, especially at each other.

And now he had reason to question his origin.

If Alderon was not his father, then who was? And who was this woman they kept referring to that was apparently his mother? Kaerzye gasped when the heavy footfalls of one of the men came closer to the door. The boy tumbled behind one of the two grand statues guarding either side of the door and clamped his hands over his mouth when it finally opened. Out stormed Maylnor looking more furious than Kaerzye or perhaps anyone had ever seen him. His pace abruptly slowed until he came to a momentary halt a few yards beyond the open door leading to the king's audience chamber. The man gave a half-glance over his shoulder at nothing in particular before moving on and out of sight down the hall.

Kaerzye breathed a sigh of relief, leaning his head back against the wall while contemplating whether or not it was a good idea to confront his father about the encounter with Maylnor. In the end he decided against it so soon after the verbal war had taken place. He feared he would be barred from seeing Maylnor entirely or punished by his father for questioning him.

"Kaerzye."

At first Kaerzye thought his heart had stopped beating in his chest but he relaxed when he realized his father's tone was not at all threatening. He was no longer angry, at least not at his son. Kaerzye had done no wrong in his eyes.

"Come here, boy. I'm not going to eat you."

"Father? I'm sorry. I didn't mean to…I mean…"

The trembling whisper was barely audible to the elderly king, yet it wrought the brightest of smiles. Here in this dull, dismal chamber was a ray of sunshine and hope Alderon was not at all ready to let go of. His love for the child had blinded him to the world outside of the castle. The child who he would be proud to let carry on his legacy stood timidly inside the open doorway.

"You are dismissed."

The king lifted a weary hand to wave the attendant at his side away so that the two of them could be alone. Kaerzye eyed the servant quickly slinking from the bedside to gather dishes. It was then that the child realized that he recognized the man as someone who had been at his cousin's side from time to time as well. Karnakh must have ordered him to care for the sickly king in the absence of his own attendants. He was about to comment but the suspicious servant was already long gone and his father's voice interrupted his thoughts.

"Kaerzye, come to me."

A velveteen valance was tugged to the side, allowing him to crawl up onto the soft bed beside the sickly man to snuggle within the frail arms outstretched and waiting to receive him. These arms were not the sturdy things Kaerzye had always. It was most likely due to the illness. Even without a strong hold, the certainty of a father's embrace could never be lost.

"Kaerzye..."

Alderon trailed off a moment. Perhaps he was allowing the graveness of his tone to settle in the child's mind. The end result of all this struggling would be so harsh on one so young.

"Father, am I making you sick? I heard what Maylnor said."

His question was abrupt and to the point. Alderon may have been keeping secrets from him but Kaerzye felt safe opening up to the man he had always remembered calling his father. The boy never directly responded to his name. Only a short, absent breath and miniature hands tightening around his father's neck let the speaker know that he had his full attention down to the last word.

"Kaerzye..." the sickly king began again, "You and I shall forever be bonded heart and soul and I shall forever love you. Please understand that I…"

He was interrupted by that small voice.

"Can't be here with me? Don't say things like that. You're going to get better…"

It was the child's turn to be at a loss for words. There were only choked sobs and whimpers that issued forth after a determined plea.

"Please, if it's my fault, just tell me! Maybe if I go away like Maylnor said I can fix it. I want to know the truth!"

"Nothing that's happened is your fault. Maylnor has buried his nose into too many of his books. His imagination has gotten the better of him, that's all. The sickness is nothing to be taken lightly, but there's no mystery behind its origin. Searching for supernatural excuse for its existence will do nothing to stop it."

Alderon angrily knocked the pages of notes Maylnor had left for him off the dresser beside his bed and sighed. As strong as the king might have appeared at the time, it took all he had not to follow in suit with his son's fearful tears. The already dim lighting in the room only continued to die that moment. It was like a horrible signal for them both. Alderon always seemed to be the kingdom's breath of life; a stronghold that was quickly fading. The sun's light almost never rose to greet them anymore. There was nothing but the cold, silent death. A sudden chill crept over the bare skin of the child's arm. It was the cold, cold death that would bring with it an unbearable loneliness.

"Kaer, I'm very proud of the way you're growing up, and I'm very sorry you had to hear all that. I never intended for you to know if I could help it. You will always been _my_ child."

A shaking hand abruptly closed tightly around a smaller one, and it finally came -- the inevitable defeat. But only in body, for the good king still wore a smile even after his physical form had failed him. He was still trying to comfort his little son.

That was it for him. The plague had come to claim Alderon as it had so many others. His pain and suffering were ended and he felt nothing. Not even the steady pitter-patter of tears now streaming down Kaerzye's cheeks would affect him. The boy's strength had run dry and he too fell into a state of complete numbness. The despair was too much for someone so young to handle.

Kaerzye was welcomed back to reality by an agonizing stinging sensation stemming from the palm of his hand. The empty gaze shifted to stare at the hand the lost king had so desperately clung to. Blood was trickling from between his fingers, meshing with salty tears. With a wince, Kaerzye pried his hand open to reveal a red gem.

His eyes went wide with wonder.


	3. Chapter 1: Part 3

The object practically beckoned him to take it with its distinct hum and pulsing crimson light. Kaer noticed how similar its shape was to one of the many indentations in the pendant around his neck, but when he hesitantly placed the glistening jewel where it appeared it belonged it flashed so brightly that the boy had to cover his eyes. In that moment Kaerzye was sure he felt the same chill he had experienced when looking upon the creature in the woods.

The biting cold nipped him to his very soul. The putrid stench of death met his nostrils, causing him to rear back with a dizzy groan.

Kaerzye could feel the world fading around him into an endless abyss as he hit the floor unconscious. He was alone in this dark world. It was all empty, black solitude save a speck of that burning crimson light that seemed like it was thousands of miles away from the child's grasp. As the ruby glow began to fade, Kaerzye strained to run toward the warmth of the light. His bare feet moved with all their might yet neither distance nor sound was made. He could only hear his own pleading voice in his mind no matter how fervently his lips moved in vain to produce his thoughts. Kaerzye was sure he heard a voice other than his own now beckoning him toward the destination that now burned brightly as the jewel his father had given him had done before he fell unconscious.

The warmth of the light was inviting in his shattered state of mind and he was almost certain he would find his father's arms reaching out to him on the other side of the blinding light. His tiny hands reached out to snatch it and...

It was then that the child shot straight up in bed sweating and shaking madly from head to toe.

When he realized he back in his own room the child attached himself to the satin pillows on his bed and wept bitterly.

He wept because he knew what happened the night before was all too real to be a dream and that meant his father was gone. He would never come back or call out to him like he had done in the prince's dreams.

Kaerzye stumbled out of his bed and tore out of the room and down the hall as fast as his thin legs could carry him, ignoring the pain throbbing in his head. He had no idea where he was running, nor did he care. Kaerzye just wanted to escape from _everything_. It seemed like hours, days, years, before the boy finally collapsed out of total exhaustion.

This was all too much for one eleven-year-old to grasp in a sane manner.

Kaerzye stared at the tassels of carpet that danced as his heavy puffs of breath weaved through them. There was nothing to do but lie there and try his hardest not to think about anything. But alas, a young inquiring mind wandered to that pendant. It glowed radiantly within the confines of his nightshirt. Once removed from its prison, the blood-red ruby directed Kaerzye's attention to the great door he had collapsed in front of. They were the doors that led into his father's now empty bed chambers. If no one had discovered him then it was unlikely anyone was inside. They would have heard the child crying and come out to see what the noise was.

He forced himself to stand and push open the mighty oak doors, unsure of his reasons behind his venture but there was no hesitation in his footsteps as soon as he entered the room. The child sighed and after a long glance at the objects scattered around him he climbed up into the bed where he and his late father had last spoken to each other. The glow of the red ruby was only causing his throbbing migraine to grow worse so Kaerzye removed it from around his neck and set it on the night stand beside a book his father must have used to keep himself occupied during those long and painful days of lying here.

Kaer inhaled sharply with surprise when he saw the pages the pendant illuminated. Winding around the words of the pages was a long black creature. The face was hidden away beneath its long and crooked tail but Kaerzye recognized the beast right away. He was positive it was the same one he had seen in the forest tangling itself around the tree branches in a similar way it did to the words on these pages.

"Is this the thing Maylnor was trying to warn father about? It's real, but that means--"

"We were concerned when we heard you had left your bed, Kaerzye. You shouldn't worry everyone like that so soon after your father dying."

The voice startled Kaerzye so badly that he nearly fell off the bed. Standing in the doorway was his cousin who appeared to be in a particularly good mood.

Somehow that did not surprise Kaerzye.

"I would appreciate it if you were a good boy and stayed in your room while I discuss your future with the rest of the court."

Kaerzye frowned at that.

"What about Maylnor? My father left him in charge of me. You have no right to decide!"

Kaerzye slipped off the bed with the book in one hand dangling behind him where Karnakh could not see it.

"Maylnor? Oh, you must not have heard. Maylnor was the last to see the king alive other than you, of course. Seemed a stressful situation hastened his…demise. Maylnor has been arrested and held for questioning. Until the matter is resolved, you're under my care. Exciting, isn't it?"

Kaerzye knew his cousin twisted the truth about Maylnor's eccentric nature and he was livid with anger that they had gone behind his father's back while he was ill to make such an important choice. There was no time to argue with his cousin, though. A single guard was instructed to escort the child back to his own room and lock the door. Luckily for Kaerzye, Karnakh had turned away before he could discover the book the boy was holding. When the castle guard apologized to the boy soon after making him a prisoner in his own room, Kaerzye could feel a knot tightening in the pit of his stomach. What would Karnakh do to him and Maylnor if he had his way?

Or more importantly, what would he do to the entire kingdom?

The days that followed his father's death left him alone and helpless to control what was going on outside of his prison and the usual pale blue canvas of the afternoon sky had dulled into a drab gray that entire week. What little sunlight graced his window was overtaken by billowing storm clouds not long after it had dared peek out from under them.

Kaerzye had spent most of his time studying the contents of the book he had found in his father's chamber, but it was hard considering the words were all in a language he had never seen before in his life. Maylnor had come to see him twice during the night hours but Kaerzye never once mentioned the book to him and Maylnor never mentioned whether or not he also knew the boy had been listening in on the confrontation. After days of being confined to this horrible place, Kaerzye could no longer resist the urge to disobey both his cousin and mentor.

The task of venturing outside was easy enough since no one had bothered locking his windows. It was a long drop to the ground below but the child managed to avoid any injuries as he hit the earth. He had heard Maylnor was only being kept under house arrest rather than being taken to the dungeon. There were no signs of foul play regarding Alderon's death, so until Karnakh had enough time to find some outrageous excuse to make a full arrest Maylnor was somewhat safe.

His curiosity over the book was overwhelming

Even if Maylnor was likely to scold him for disobeying at least he might be able to tell Kaerzye what these strange letters meant or who his absent mother was. A shocked expression turned to one of concern when Maylnor answered the tapping at his door and found little Kaerzye standing there wet from the rain. The child was grasped by the wrist and roughly pulled inside of the hut.

"Kaerzye, I realize it's probably pointless to remind you that you were instructed to remain inside, preferably in your room, so I won't. However, I am slightly curious to know why you disobeyed me."

The prince was directed to a seat at the dining table while a rather angry Maylnor glared expectantly at him. Kaerzye did as he was told and only then did he reveal the black book he had been towing under his arm. It landed on the table with a dusty thud.

"You left this in my father's room before he died. Maylnor, you lied to me when you said you didn't know what that thing in the trees was, didn't you? My father has been lying to me this entire time too! Just what is it that's so important to keep from me? I want to know! I want to know who my mother is!"

"Is that right?"

The man adjusted the crooked spectacles on his face before sighing dejectedly. He leaned down to inspect the letters and pictures in Kaerzye's book before he spoke again.

"Somehow I'm not at all surprised you found this thing."

The black book was slid across the table where the child could not reach it and Maylnor sank to a chair that was close to the boy.

"Kaerzye, when have I ever given you a reason not to trust my judgment? When I asked you to stay in your room and forget about what you saw it was for a very good reason. I knew as soon as you buried your nose into these kinds of books or heard anyone speak of that woman you would be pulling yourself closer to something incredibly dangerous. You are the most curious child I have ever known. You're also the most stubborn. The contents of this book weren't meant to be revealed to you until you were older, if ever."

Malynor heaved another great sigh.

"I will say this only once. The beasts you find yourself so fascinated with are terribly dangerous. If I find or hear that you continue to seek after them against my wishes, the punishment will be severe and you will no longer have my trust. Do you understand me, Kaerzye? I'm not saying these things or keeping them from you because I think you lack the intelligence to grasp them. I'm telling you this because I would rather you live so that you can understand them better than you could now when you're older. Go back to your room immediately before Karnakh finds you missing."

Kaerzye was taken aback by the tone Maylnor used when he spoke.

The only time he ever heard it was when he spoke to his cousin and that was highly understandable and then again the night his father died. It was obvious Maylnor had no intention of returning the book Kaerzye had found in his father's room. Now was probably not the best time to ask anyway with the mood his disobedience had put the man in.

The child decided it was wise not to object to returning to his room and shut the door after him as he wandered out of the hut. Even more clouds crowded together in the skies and a distant rumbling called out the prelude to another summer storm. His thoughts weighed heavily on his mind, slowing his steps in his return to the castle. There was little waiting for him there anyway. Even if he was a child he was tired of having all these secrets kept from him.

Kaerzye was closing in on the gates of the castle when he inhaled a horrid smell that burned his lungs.

Kaerzye coughed violently, struggling to breathe through the terrible stench that had attacked his nostrils so suddenly. When the child finally regained some composure and looked up at what was causing the smell his eyes widened in horror. Standing only a few yards in front of him was a massive beast. Its frame was thin and putrid flesh hung loosely from the obviously rotting body. The yellow saliva that poured freely from between mangled jaws and gnarled teeth hissed as it touched the earth. Kaer could see through the ribcage of the creature where it had left a trail of death and destruction in its path. Plants, grass, insects and animals were all lying dead in its wake. It resembled something close to a winged dog though Kaer wondered how anything could fly with such tattered wings.

The child was paralyzed with fear, certain that the vicious jaws of this monster would snap him in two without a second thought but the creature never did attack him. It extended its neck, each vertebrae crackling with the strain. It smelled the child calmly as if it recognized him and was searching for something other than its next meal. Once the beast was satisfied it retreated from taking in the child's scent. At first Kaerzye felt a sense of relief but that was ripped from him when the monster lunged forward and curled its large talons around his small body. He screamed as it lifted him high into the air, farther and farther from home.

Deep beyond his terror he had a feeling this thing had no intention of killing him but if he was not a meal then what was the purpose of carrying him off like this? He watched as Estel became nothing but a speck in the distance and for a moment Kaerzye was sure he would never see it or Maylnor again. His strong urge to give up hope was interrupted, however. The beast carrying him jerked wildly with a howl and his grasp on the child loosened slightly as its attention was averted elsewhere. Clinging to one of its tattered wings by the teeth was yet another creature similar to the one kidnapping him except its beauty caused the child to question if they were the same species.

All three of them were plummeting to the trees below now that the diseased monster had no control over one of its wings. Finally, it was forced to release the child in order to use its only defense against the smaller beast attacking it. That was apparently what it wanted, for the wing was released and the silvery creature dove frantically after Kaerzye as he was hurled to the earth. The child was caught between much gentler claws but it did did not risk venturing back up into the clouds. Instead, they continued to descend into the blanket of trees with an enraged pursuer. The trees beneath them were so dark and thick with tangling brush and branches that Kaerzye could barely see in front of him. This beast's size was an advantage over Kaerzye's kidnapper. He could hear the monster howling in anger while it struck the treetops with its talons in search for a way large enough for it to fit through. Hopefully the one who had rescued him had no intention of devouring him either. It seemed not, for the silver creature released the child and lifted him by the back of his shirt. Its head twisted around and placed the boy between the shoulder blades where he could hang on easier to the soft fur there. Once Kaerzye was secure it began moving through the brush as smoothly as a feline. Flying was too dangerous now.

"Thank you."

It stopped to turn its head around almost fully to stare at the child curiously. He doubted it could understand him but he felt the need to say something to the friendly beast. They continued on their way then without any further interaction until they came at last to the edge of the forest. It knew better than to let Kaerzye off there, though. There was very little chance the one who had stolen him away would not come back after sounding so upset that it lost the child to another one of its kin. A rumble in his savior's chest was heard as the familiar smell filled the air once more. It was nearby and there was no time to waste deciding what to do with the child anymore.

"Kaerzye!"

The cat-like ears of creature flew madly from side to side to pinpoint the source of the sound. It spotted Maylnor not far from where they stood, yet made no signs of aggression toward the man. Its head was lowered to allow the child to slide off and once he had clung tightly to his mentor the beast was in the air once more. Terrible screeches followed as the foul monster gave chase, certain Kaerzye was still in the other's possession. The distraction had worked and Malynor was free to lead the child back to his hut where they could be safe for at least a short time. Maylnor didn't have the heart to be angry with the boy when he was sobbing so hard. The ordeal had terrified him out of his wits. In truth, the old man was horrified himself at how close Kaer had come to disappearing forever.

"I'm sorry, Kaer. I'm sorry I scolded you before. I should have let you know a little more."

He held the boy for nearly an hour until he wore himself down so much from tears that he was barely able to speak.

"Your cousin has been erecting idols in favor of the old gods the first settlers into this kingdom used to worship. It was your father who destroyed all faith in them completely but Karnakh is using the beasts you saw to ignite the superstition in the hearts of everyone again. Ignorance is one way to keep the masses under control. I have to get you out of here before things are out of hand."

"Ignorance? Maylnor, surely you of all people know how little these people could understand when it comes to those monsters."

Maylnor's heart froze when he heard the voice coming from the doorway. Karnakh had invited himself into the man's home with a small army of soldiers at his back.

"I'm afraid kidnapping the prince isn't something I can allow you to do. I still need him after all."

Malynor was torn from Kaerzye and dragged from the hut after Karnakh had smugly displayed the stamped document stating he would be the child's full guardian from now on. The boy cried out in protest at the accusation that Maylnor had planned on kidnapping him. It was punishable by death and that was not something the child could bear after losing his father as well. The soldiers were ordered to burn the hut to the ground while the man watched before they took him away to be executed. After the man holding Kaerzye rode off over the hill toward the castle, the tearful face of Maylnor was the last thing he saw. When they reached the gates Karnakh relieved the soldier of the child by roughly jerking him away and practically dragging him by his wrist through the halls. He no longer had to hold his false act of love toward the child. Even if those around him protested, Karnakh was now the rightful heir to Alderon's throne and he would take full advantage of his rights as king.

"You know how much I'm going to enjoy watching them lop off that loon's head? Maybe I'll let you keep it as a going away gift."

The doors to the main audience chamber were flung wide open and Kaerzye's already bewildered expression changed to a more fearful one when he saw what was waiting for him. Clinging to the enormous glass dome that loomed above them was the plagued beast that had failed to kidnap the child. The others standing there were too horrified with the monster to notice how roughly Kaerzye was being treated as Karnakh forced his adopted cousin to follow him to the front of the room. Once there, he could gather the attention of the terrified men and women who had once been servants of Alderon.

"My friends, I've asked you to meet me here to honor the life and reign of my dear, lost uncle."

Here he stopped to gauge the crowd and Kaerzye's reaction. Was this supposed to be his father's funeral? It was an excuse to gather everyone who was held in high standards with Alderon - a perfect advantage for Karnakh to manipulate those worth controlling.

"His devotion and love for all of us shall never be forgotten and though we will as his friends and loved ones set him on the highest of standards, this is not what our ancestors are pleased with. They look down upon this kingdom with shame and anger. I present to you a god of old. A terrible beast whose wrath for our sins can only be cleansed through proper repentance. Our children and crops our dying. This beast is the cause. Its very essence destroys all life it comes in contact with. Alderon's mistakes are in the past and I shall give you the remedy to this plague. He turned away from the old ways and refused to appease our gods. He even dared say that they did not exist! For this treason after everything they have provided for us since our settlement on this land we are being severely punished!"

The horror among those in the crowd had doubled with Karnakh's proclamation. The few sensible men and women left in the room were drowned out by the screams of those who were panicked by the monster looming over them.

"What must we do to repent?"

One woman shrieked above the rest. That was the one question Karnakh desired to hear above all else -- and opportunity that would only come knocking once. A twisted grin was set on his face as he turned away from the crowd. Now was the time for his classic act of hesitance.

"It horrifies me to say what will appease them, my friends. But this must be done for the sake of our future. If it not were for the sins of my late uncle, I would not be forced to fulfill such a terrible request. The gods demand a sacrifice of blood from Alderon's line to avenge the souls lost to this plague and ensure ourselves a safe future."

There was hesitance in the air when it came to the idea of slaying the young prince. No one but Alderon's closest family and comrades were aware that the child was adopted. Karnakh would use their ignorance against them and continue to push the issue.

"Come, my friends. I know how hard this must be. Think of my position as part of his family! But I must do as this lord commands. If you were all wise, you will do the same!"

Kaerzye's wrist was bruised from struggling against the much larger man, and slowly but surely the hesitation of Alderon's former servants no longer had a problem letting this beast have its way and tossing little Kaerzye to it if that meant the plague would end. In his panic, the child did the only thing he could think of to free himself from his cousin. When he felt the warmth of the jeweled necklace from within his shirt he retrieved it with a free hand and frantically plunged the jagged edges into his cousin's forearm. With a cry of agony, Karnakh released the child to gingerly tend to his wound.

Kaerzye had taken the chance to scramble to his feet and toward an open window that might mean his freedom. The angry crowd had gone into frenzy by now and were close at the boy's heels as he climbed up onto the heavy golden window sill. He halted upon looking down at the hundred foot drop into the black water of the river. Kaerzye had turned to seek out another means of escape when the many wildly grabbing hands of the men and women pursuing him caused him to lose his balance. With a terrified scream, he plunged into the watery depths below. As soon as the child had connected with the river a familiar blackness enveloped him and the shouts from the window above were drowned out.


End file.
